Acetylene-gas machine.



PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904.

R. H. WALTERS.

AGETYLENE GAS MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6. 1904.

NO MODEL.

w T f ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES Patented August 2, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ACETYLENE-GAS MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,475, dated August 2, 1904.

Application filed April 6, 1904.

To add whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT H. l/VALTIGRS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce an apparatus which will be simple in operation and cheap in construction, and to reduce to a minimum the danger arising from inexperienced persons not properly replenishing Water to the different parts of the machine, and to provide simple and efficient means whereby all parts of the machine will be filled with water from a single inlet and whereby all of the filling and discharging valves may be opened and closed by the movement of a single part, and to provide simple and eflicient means for filling the machine with carbid, and to provide a simple and eflieient valve-for controlling the admission of the carbid into the generator. I accomplish these objects by the mechanism described herein and illustrated in the accompany drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a vertical central section of the apparatus with some of the minor parts shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the pressure-regulating tank on the line 2 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, A is the water-tank of the machine, of usual construction, provided with the filling-spout B, which has a port A eon necting it with the water-tank. Below a portion of the water-tank is the condenser G, separated therefrom by the partition D.

E is the water-chamber of the generator E, which has a small conical-shaped top E, to the top of which the carbid-chamber F is secured. The carbid-chamber has a port G in the bottom thereof, which is controlled by valve H, mounted on rod 1, which extends both above and below the valve. The sides of this valve are preferably vertical, so as to afford less resistance as it moves through the carbid, and the top is preferably conical and is protected from coming into contact with the earbid in the earbid-chamber by the cylinder J into which cylinder the valve tel- Serial No. 201,885. (No model.)

escopes when it is moved off its seat. This cylinder is closed at the top by a nut J, which forms the top thereof and screws into the top of the carbid-chamber. Within the cylinder J is a cross-bar K, which provides a guide for the upper end of the valve-stem I. A spring L is coiled around the upper end of the valve-stem between the cross-bar and valve and rests upon the top of the valve to keep the valve springpressed upon its seat. In the upper end of the earbid-chamber is an opening which is closed by screw-plug M,and the carbid is filled into the carbid-chamber through this opening when the plug is removed. The lower end of the valve-stem rests upon one end of lever N, which lever is pivoted in the generatorchamber. The other end of lever N supports a loose rod P, which passes through a guidepipe Q, secured and extending upwardly to a point above the water therein. Surrounding this guide-pipe and secured to the gas-bell S is a cylinder R, which forms a seal around the tube Q, thereby preventing any gas from entering therein, so ,that in starting the machine no gas escapes from the bell into the outer air. The top of gas-bell has an opening S, through which the end of rod P projects when the machine is being charged. This aperture is covered by a hood S, which has in its upper end a screw-tln-eaded rod T, having on its lower end a disk T, which is adapted to be brought into contact with rod 1, which through connecting mechanism operates the earbid-valve. Rod T is adapted to be screwed down until the disk T engages the top of the gas-bell, a wheel T being secured to the rod to enable its rotation. As the rod is screwed down through connecting mechanism the carbidvalve is opened and carbid drops into the generating-chamber,thereby producing gas therein which depresses the water contained therein until the gas escapes through pipe U, which leads into the gas-bell. Pipe U is provided with a cover U, which causes the gas to pass downwardly around the outside of pipeUand into the water in the water-tank and then up into the space in the gas-bell above the water, thereby washing and scrubbing the gas as it passes into the gas-bell. From the gas-bell the gas passes through pipe V into drier \V,

i which is filled with excelsiorX or other suitable material, and from the drier the gas passes through service-pipe Y to a place of use. (Not shown.)

To thetop of the gas-bell is secured safety-- cylinder Z, provided with ports Z near its lower end. This cylinder telescopes over a pipe 60, which leads out of the water-tank and maybe connected by a pipe (not shown) to the outside of the building in which the gas-machine may be operated. This cylinder and pipe provide a safety device for the escape of gas in case an accident happens to the carbidvalve and more gas is generated in the machine at a time than is desired, because when the gas-bell rises to bring the ports Z above the water-line of the water-tank the gas will escape through these ports and out through the pipe (4, thereby preventing the bell from rising any higher. At the bottom 'of the drier is a pipe 6, which leads into the condenser and carries off any moisture that may collect in the drier. overflow-pipe c, which opens into the pressure-regulating tank d. This pipe is provided within said tank with a cut-01f cock 0, whose operating-lever c isconnected to a rod 6, which rod is secured to the cover f of the pressure-regulating tank. Leading from thepressure-regulating tank is a pipe 9, which terminates in the spout C of the condensirig-chama ber, into which it leads the water from the pressure-regulating tank. This pipeis provided within the pressure-regulating tank with a cook 70, whose operating-lever 0" is connected to rod 6. WVhen the cover of the pressure-regulating tank is closed, the cooks on these pipes within such tank are closed; but when the cover of the pressure-regulating tank is raised these cocks are opened. I have called tankd a pressure-regulating tank, because-when gas is generated by the carbid falling into the water it forces a quan-' tity of water out of the generator chamber into tank cl, and this column of water exerts a pressure upon the gas to force it through the pipe U into the gas-bell through the water seal formed by the cover U. Now when it is desired to fill the machine with water the cover of the pressure-regulating tank is opened and water-is poured in the spout B of the water-tank, and when said tank is filled up to the point from which overflow-pipe 0 leads the water passes out through such pipe into the pressure-regulating tank and thence through pipez' into the generatingchamber. As soon as the generating-chamber is filled with water to the outlet of pipe g the water flows therethrough and into the spout C of the condensing-chamber, and as soon as this chamber is filled further filling of the water into the machine ceases and the cover of the pressure-regulating tank is closed down. The carbid -chamber can then be filled, and rod T may be screwed down toopen Leading from the water-tank is an the carbid valve, thereby commencing the generation of gas, which causes the bell to rise. WVhen all the carbid in the carbidchamber has become exhausted and the gas is used out of the bell, the bell sinks in the watertank, thereby opening the carbid valve. Rod T is then unscrewed, so as to permit the carbid-valve to close. Plug M is taken out of the carbid-valve chamber. The cover of the pressure-regulating tank is then opened and plug j in the lower part of the generator-chamber is unscrewed, which permits the water and ash to escape from the chamber. While the water and ash is flowing out stirrer secured upon the end of rod is, is moved to keep the ash agitated, so it will flow out of the Water. Rod 70 passes through guide-pipe Z, and the upper end is bent toform an operating-handle. The machine is then filled with water, as before described, the carbid-chamber is then refilled and plug M replaced, and rod T is screwed down into contact with rod P as before described, thereby starting the generation of gas. The condensing-chamber is provided with an outlet-plug n, which permits its contents to be discharged.

It will be seen that by this construction a simple and efficient machine is provided,which contains no packed valves and in which when any part of the machine is ready to receive Water all parts are ready to receive it, and that water is admitted to fill the entire machine through a single spout. It will also be observed that at the beginning of generating gas water stands in the conical portion of the gas-generating chamber, which water is depressed and forced into the pressure-regulating tank, which takes care of the surplus water. i

It will also be observed that the water flows from the generating-chamber back into the pressure-regulating tank as the gas is generated and the water in the generating-chamber depressed. When the generation of gas ceases and the pressure on the gas in the gencrating-chamber is relieved by the use of gas out of the gas-bell, a portion of the water will return from the pressure-regulating tank back into the generating-chamber, thereby keeping a constant flow of water through the pipe 71 and preventing the settlement of sediment therein.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an acetylene-gas machine a carbid-receptacle having a conical-shaped bottom with a port at the apex thereof; a plug in the top of said carbid-chamber; a cylinder above said port and secured to said plug and extending to near the bottom of said chamber; a valve in said chamber adapted to reciprocate into and out of said cylinder and to control said port. a

2. In an acetylene-gas machine a carbid-receptacle having a conical-shaped bottom with a port at the apex thereof; a plug in the top of said carbid-chamber; a cylinder secured to said plug and extending to near the bottom of said chamber; a valve in said chamber adapted to reciprocate into and out of said cylinder; a stem secured to said valve projecting above and below said valve; means to guide the upper end of said stem; a spring pressed upon its seat; means to operate said valve comprising a pivoted lever or walking-beam one end of which engages the lower end of said valvestem and the other end supports a loose rod; a water-tank; a guide-pipe secured to the bottom thereof, a loose rod within said guidepipe and extending above and below the same, the lower end of which rests upon said pivoted lever; a gas-bell movable in said Water-tank; a cylinder secured to said gas-bell and surrounding said guide-pipe; an opening in the top of said gas-bell above said guide-pipe; a hood secured to said bell and covering said opening; a screw-threaded rod passingthrough the top of said hood and having a disk adapted to close said opening and be brought into engagement with said loose rod by the fall of the gas-bell and to be released therefrom by the rise of the gas-bell.

3. In an acetylene-gas machine the combination of a water-tank having a reduced conical-shaped top; with a carbid-receptacle having a conical-shaped bottom secured to said conical-shaped top of the water-chamber, said carbid-receptacle having a port in the bottom thereof opening into the water-chamber; a plug in the top of said carbid-chamber; a cylinder secured to said plug and extending to near the bottom of said chamber; a valve in said carbid-chamber adapted to reciprocate into and out of said cylinder.

In an acetylene-gas machine in combination; awater-tank; a carbid-receptacle having a conical-shaped bottom with a port at the apex thereof; a plug in the top of said carbid-chamber; a cylinder secured to said plug and extending to near the bottom of said chamber; a valve in said chamber adapted to reciprocate into and out of said cylinder; a stem secured to said valve projecting above and below the same; means to guide the upper end of said stem; a generator having a reduced conical-shaped top secured to said carbid-receptacle at the bottom thereof, the bottom part of said generator partly extending under the water-tank and separated therefrom by a partition; a condenser below said water-tank and separated therefrom by a partition; a guide-tube secured to said partition and extending upwardly in said water-tank; a loose rod passing through said guide-tube; a lever pivoted in said generator and having one end thereof contacting with the lower end of the valve-stem and the other end supporting said loose rod; a gas-bell mounted in said water-tank, said bell having an opening in the top thereof covered by a hood; an adjustable rod secured in the hood in the top of said bell and adapted to be brought into engagement with said loose rod in said guide-pipe.

5. In an acetylene-gas machine a water-tank having a filling-spout; a gas-bell mounted in said tank; a generator having a water-holding space at the bottom thereof and carbid-receptacle at the top thereof, said carbid-receptacle opening into said chamber through a port in the bottom thereof; a pressure-regulating tank connected with the water-holding space of the generator, said tank having a hinged cover; a condensing-chamber having a filling-spout; a pipe leading from said pressure-regulating chamber to and terminating in the fillingspout of said condensing-chamber, said pipe having a cock thereon within said regulatingtank; a pipe leading from the water-level of the water-tank to and terminating within the pressLire-regulating tank and having a cock on the end thereof in said regulating-tank; a rod pivotally connected with the cover of the pressure-regulating tank and with the said cocks on said pipes in said tank.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th day of March, 1904.

ROBERT H. WVALTERS.

WVitnesses:

G. E. HARPHAM, MARGARETE C. NICKELESON. 

